In this course, you will have the opportunity to closely examine what Nelson Mandela meant when he stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” You will engage in critical analysis of the ongoing struggles for access and equality in education and reflect on your own life experiences while developing the tools necessary to pursue justice in education.
Using the lens of education as a vehicle for social change, this course examines issues of education as “privilege” or “right” and the impact of opportunity programs such as SEEK which emerged from the struggle for social justice and access of the less privileged to higher education in the US. Together we will critically reflect on the historical, philosophical, social, political and cultural forces that affected higher education’s evolution with respect to issues of justice, access and equality in the United States. We will research and analyze data on issues of inclusivity, exclusivity and inequality as it relates to educational access. You will have the opportunity to move from critical reflection to social action by contextualizing your own educational experiences and ambitions in the context of the struggle for justice in education.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to: